“Virginia’s story is America’s story. It is our shared past, and it will be our shared future. In this next chapter, to unleash true opportunity for all Virginians, we must embrace the call to lead,” Governor Glenn Youngkin

This week, Governor Glenn Youngkin delivered his 2024 State of the Commonwealth Address to a joint session of the Virginia General Assembly. His speech highlighted his agenda for this legislative session and called on the General Assembly to come together around commonsense policies that will unleash opportunity in Virginia.

Here are some of the top highlights from Governor Youngkin’s speech:

Cardinal News reported on Governor Youngkin's push to provide tax relief for hardworking Virginia families.

“Youngkin’s plan includes cutting taxes across the board 12% and paying for almost 80% of this by modernizing the state’s tax code — which he said entails closing the tech tax loophole and increasing the sales and use tax by 0.9% and expanding the earned income tax credit for low-income Virginians. 

The Washington Examiner highlighted the Governor's call to stand against antisemitism and stop the Commonwealth from doing business with companies that boycott Israel.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) encouraged the new joint Assembly to embrace his efforts against antisemitism during its new legislative session, which opened on Wednesday.

“I want to challenge us. … I want to challenge all of us. … Pass a bill which says the commonwealth of Virginia won’t do business with companies that boycott Israel,” the Republican governor said while delivering his State of the Commonwealth address at the Virginia Capitol.

“Pass a hate crime bill which ensures all forms of antisemitism, not just religious bigotry, are treated as hate crimes under the law,” he also said.

The governor expressed that Virginians should not have to live in fear of antisemitism.

The Governor also highlighted the story of restaurant owner Bill Blackburn, who promoted the positive impacts of the monumental economic development project in Alexandria.

“Small businesses will win too, and one of those businesses is Pork Belly BBQ in the Del Ray neighborhood,” Youngkin said. “He [Blackburn] knows when opportunity knocks, you should open the door.”

Blackburn said while he has questions about navigating traffic under the proposal, he believes the benefits are too good for the region and Commonwealth to miss.

The Center Square noted the Governor's push to ensure that the Commonwealth's education system is best-in-class.

“Education has been a focus for the Youngkin administration; he underscored not only the record amounts Virginia has invested in education in recent years but also the initiatives he has championed and the success some have yielded.

And Virginia Public Media highlighted the Governor’s unifying message throughout his State of the Commonwealth Address.

The spirit was working together. The tone was pretty strong, but the tone was not confrontational... The governor seems to want to work with folks... he provided principles that I think most folks can get behind... many of them were generalized suggestions of how we can get along and make Virginia a better place to live. 

This week, Governor Youngkin announced that Virginia successfully competed with Georgia and Texas and won an economic project that would invest $193 million into the City of Suffolk through a facility expansion.  Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for water-intensive industries, will expand its operation by building a new 80,000-square-foot production facility, packaging facility, and tank farm, and add a new rail spur to accommodate production of polyvinyl amine (PVAm) polymer products, which are used in paper and cardboard manufacturing.

The First Lady of Virginia is prioritizing prayer in 2024.  As lawmakers gathered in Richmond for Wednesday's start to this year's General Assembly session, the First Lady joined Governor Youngkin in fellowship at the annual Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast.  This decades-old, nonpartisan tradition is foundational and features gospel singers, biblical readings, and more. Prayer is also a hallmark of the Youngkin's service, and last spring, on the National Day of Prayer, the First Lady met with the leadership of Virginia, Pray Now (VPN), to talk about the power of prayer and to further promote VPN’s purpose to intentionally pray over leaders.  In her belief that inclusivity is an important aspect of faith, the First Lady intends to use her Sisterhood in L.I.F.E. platform to expand her network of amazing Women+girls (W+g) supporting and praying for one another.

This week, Governor Youngkin acknowledged National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and honored the extraordinary sacrifices made by officers who run towards danger every day in order to protect the Commonwealth.

Held for over 55 years on the morning of the first day of the Virginia General Legislative Session, the Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast provides legislators, constituents, and Virginians an opportunity to come together in bipartisan and nondenominational fellowship and pray over the legislative session and year ahead. ‘The Night Before,’ The First Lady and Governor welcomed those involved in the planning of this decades-long #homehistory tradition to the Executive Mansion in appreciation of their commitment to our Commonwealth.

VPN leaders gather at the Executive Mansion.

If interested in joining others to pray once monthly for the leaders of the Commonwealth, please visit:  www.virginiapraynow.com

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